How to hire a solar technician

How to hire a solar technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step solar technician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a solar technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new solar technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your solar technician job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a solar technician for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a solar technician to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a solar technician that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of solar technicians.

   Type of Solar Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Solar Technician	Solar photovoltaic (PV) installers, often called PV installers, assemble, install, or maintain solar panel systems on roofs or other structures.	$14-26
   Solar Installer	A solar installer is responsible for installing solar panels on building and household locations, ensuring that the methods and tools adhere to safety regulations and practices. Solar installers manage the maintenance and repair of the solar panels, requiring them to perform fieldwork and travel often... Show more	$13-22
   Service Technician	Service technicians are assigned in the field to address the concerns of their clients. Service technicians are responsible for the installation, maintenance, or repair of different units or items related to their company's products or services... Show more	$13-27

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Renewable Energy
   • PV
   • QC
   • Hand Tools
   • Site Assessments
   • Ladders
   • Safety Standards
   • OSHA
   • Roofing
   • Safety Hazards
   • Solar Power
   • Solar Panels
   • Electrical Equipment

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Boom lifts, scissor stands etc.
   • Install inverter and EMT conduit.
   • Install all rack grounding and DC wiring.
   • Wire control panel's for multi-zone HVAC units.
   • Follow all OSHA and company safety requirements without question.
   • Follow and maintaining all OSHA and company safety regulations.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your solar technician job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A solar technician can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, solar technicians' average salary in florida is 40% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level solar technicians 46% less than senior-level solar technicians.
   • Certifications. A solar technician with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a solar technician's salary.

   Average solar technician salary

   $41,791yearly

   $20.09 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level solar technician salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a solar technician job description

   A solar technician job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a solar technician job description:

   Solar technician job description example

   • 3 years of experience in substations and power plant operations (preferably renewable).
   • Computer skills required (MS Office, Outlook, Adobe, etc.)
   • Valid driver’s license.
   • 24/7 on-call availability.
   • Ability to perform essential physical functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation; this includes walking long distances in inclement weather and lifting 50 lbs. above head.

   Desired/Preferred Qualifications

   • 3-5 years of experience in related fields preferred such as electrical, renewables, power or utilities.
   • Competent in executing and directing substation switching.
   • Competent in inspecting MV / HV Electrical Equipment.

   Characteristics Necessary for Success

   • Personal accountability and integrity
   • Ability to make informed decisions in a quick and nimble fashion
   • Comfortable with a work environment that is fast paced and changes quickly
   • Enthusiastic about the renewable energy industry
   • Ability to work within a team with a positive attitude

   About Longroad Energy

   Longroad Energy is a Boston, MA headquartered renewable energy developer focused on the development, ownership, and operation/asset management of wind and solar energy projects throughout North America. Founded in 2016, Longroad owns 1.6 GW of wind and solar projects across the United States in addition to operating and managing a total of 3.5 GW of wind and solar projects on behalf of Longroad and third parties. Our vision is to create lasting value for our shareholders, communities, and employees by responsibly developing, owning and operating renewable energy projects.

   We have assembled a world-class team with a passion for renewable energy innovation and a commitment to developing renewable projects throughout the US. Join a dynamic, diverse and fun work experience consistent with Longroad Energy’s cultural attributes for success; respect, integrity, community, excellence and teamwork.

   Longroad Energy is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer (“EOE”). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, citizenship, or any other legally-protected status. Longroad Energy prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities and will reasonably accommodate applicants with a disability, upon request, and will also ensure reasonable accommodations are made for disabled employees.

   Longroad Energy is firmly committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities in all employment practices and personnel actions, including advertising, recruitment, testing, screening, hiring, selection for training, upgrading, transfer, demotion, layoff, discipline, termination, rates of pay, and other forms of compensation.

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right solar technician for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your solar technician job on Zippia to find and recruit solar technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as constructionjobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting solar technicians requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new solar technician

   Once you've selected the best solar technician candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new solar technician. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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